SWTOR - Missing Quinn
by nobarawolfgirl
Summary: Seyje is on Hoth with Jaesa and Pierce, and she starts having emotional problems after being away from her ship for so long.


Seyje lay on the cold, metal-framed bed looking up at the icy ceilings of the Leth Outpost. The cold temperatures on Hoth only dropped when nightfall came, and the Sith shivered underneath her cotton blankets. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, attempting to catch some sleep. After tossing and turning for another fifteen minutes, Seyje knew it was useless. Worry and anxiety coiled in her gut as she sat up on the edge of the bed. Despite sleeping with her winter gear on, goosebumps formed on Seyje's pale skin. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and stood up.

The Sith walked out of the sleeping quarters where she and two of her crew members, Jaesa Willsaam and Lieutenant Pierce, were allowed to stay for the time being. The heels of her boots echoed on the metal floors as the Sith made her way to the doorway of the outpost. It was dark inside the bunker, but tiny rays of moonlight dotting the cavern allowed Seyje to get outside quickly and quietly. The snow crunched underneath her feet as she stepped out onto the snowy tundra. The moonlight was much brighter here on Hoth, and its reflections off the snow made the planet look like it was covered in thousands of tiny lights. Looking up, Seyje could clearly see millions of stars twinkling in the black sky. The beauty and calm of the scene brought a small smile to the Sith's lips, but only momentarily.

A confused frown crossed her face as her thoughts were invaded yet again by a particular individual. It had been eighteen days since she had last contacted Quinn and Vette on the ship. Communications were scarce on Hoth due to the lack of electricity and heating resources. After first arriving on Hoth, Seyje had contacted Quinn at the Dorn base to let him know they had landed, but she hadn't been able to contact him since. The holocom at the Thesh outpost had been out of commission since the wirings inside had been frozen, and the one here at Leth had been sabotaged by the White Maw pirates. Their last hope of contact was at the Frostwake Outpost.

_18 days I haven't spoken to him…and yet it feels like 18 years. No – Seyje, stop it. Don't think about Quinn. Focus on your mission. Focus on finding those Jedi scum. _

The Sith started to pace in the snow. This shouldn't have been so conflicting for her. The mission was simple; stay on the planet until Master Xerender and Master Wyllett are dead. Quinn and Vette chose not to come along, so Seyje had brought her apprentice and lieutenant with her.

_Jaesa and Pierce have done wonderfully so far, but…Quinn could've done better. _

She froze in her tracks, smacking herself in the head with the palm of her hand.

_No! Seyje – how dare you think such thoughts! They are your crew._

The Sith resumed her pacing. It was true; Jaesa and Pierce had proven extremely useful so far, especially when Seyje had a run in with rouge Talz named Broonmark. The beast was on a rampage for revenge towards someone in his clan. Unimportant business to the Sith, and yet they kept running into him. Seyje was never very good at keeping the peace with confrontations, but one person in her crew was.

_Damn you Quinn. Damn you for being so handsome and valuable and loyal and… _

She stopped, and looked back up at the sky. 18 days. All she wanted was to hear Quinn's voice, to see his face and tease him about the adorable mole on his left cheek, to watch him get thrown off-balance by her flirting and laugh about it – she just wanted him. However, that was only her point of view. Seyje sighed sadly. She didn't even know how Quinn truly felt about her.

They had kissed once before, but it was because Seyje caught him off guard and he had no time to react. The only other time she thought he might care about her was on Taris. They had 60 seconds to open the vault door of the Transport Station 5 ruins where General Minst was hiding before the reactor core exploded. Seyje had asked Quinn if he had any last words, and his response had been...interesting. They had made it inside before the explosion, but Seyje never had the chance to ask him about what he said before she was rushed off to this desolate planet.

A chilling wind blew across the tundra, and Seyje shivered as the blanket she held billowed behind her. The beauty that she had seen in the planet moments earlier vanished as the Sith gazed across the barren land. White snow and gray, jagged rocks made the planet seem harsh and uninviting, and the cold temperatures made it even more daunting to withstand. How Seyje longed to return to her comfortable ship, her home-away-from-home, and be reunited with those she cared about. The Sith closed her eyes and reached out with the Force into Hoth's atmosphere, searching for her vessel. It wasn't at the orbital station where she had left it. Seyje became deeply disturbed and looked further around the planet with the Force, despite the extra energy it required. Still, nothing.  
Crunching snow behind her snapped the Sith back to reality. She turned her head to see Jaesa approaching. She could sense her apprentice's confusion.

"Master, why are you standing out here in the cold?" Jaesa asked, obviously perplexed.

Seyje turned her eyes back to the starry sky.

"I am worried, Jaesa," the Sith confided. "It has been far too long since we've had contact with Quinn and Vette, and I could not sense them at the orbital station. I fear something may have happened."

Jaesa's brow furrowed.

"Are you certain they aren't there?" she asked.

"Look for yourself," Seyje replied.

The apprentice bowed her head, peering into the Force. After a few moments, she looked up with the same disturbed look on her face as her master's.

"Impossible, but…where would they go? And why?" Jaesa said.

"I don't know," Seyje replied, her voice grim, "But we need to get to the Frostwake Outpost as soon as possible. If their holocom is broken as well, we take a shuttle back to Dorn immediately."

"Yes Master. We should catch some sleep while we still can," Jaesa remarked.

The Sith nodded and followed her apprentice back to their quarters. It was hard for her to get comfortable, and after a long and painful hour of tossing and turning, Seyje finally drifted off to sleep.

As soon as the sun rose the next morning, Seyje awoke Jaesa and Pierce and told them to prepare for departure. They met by the main entrance where three Tauntauns stood waiting for them – Seyje had ordered them to be there the day before. Jaesa informed her master that she had briefed Pierce of their conversation last night so that he understood their urgency. The three of them mounted and rode off before many of the Imperial agents of the base were even awake.

It took them much longer than expected to reach the Frostwake Outpost. Not only had they run into rouge pirates who tried to rob them and failed miserably, but a pack of Pantran Whitefang cats had decided that the trio's Tauntauns would make a delicious lunch and they had to travel the last half of their journey on foot. By the time they finally arrived, the group was in bad shape. All of their medical, heating, and food supplies had been destroyed under the claws of the Whitefangs. As they approached the outpost, a squadron of Imperial agents had come out to escort the exhausted travelers into safe quarters. As soon as the medical droids were finished examining her, Seyje had passed out on her temporary bed.

The next morning, the Sith groggily awoke to a splitting headache and stiff muscles. She groaned and sat up on the bedside. Glancing up, she saw Jaesa still wrapped up in blankets and Pierce laying on his back snoring like a Wampa. Yesterday's events were slightly fuzzy in Seyje's mind. The freezing wind and lack of food had made it difficult to concentrate on anything besides walking. The Sith slowly stood up and stretched her arms over her head, quietly groaning as the blood began pumping through her sore muscles. She put a head to her head, annoyed that it was still throbbing after she was able to sleep.

_Quinn. The ship. _

Seyje rushed out of the room, ignoring the pounding inside her skull. Her heels clacked loudly as she entered the main chamber of the outpost. Vendors dotted the floor, and various consoles were placed along the walls. Imperial agents around the room stood at attention as she walked by, and she nodded for them to be at ease. Two men stood in the doorway of the communications center, one of them wearing an elitist badge.

"Commander," Seyje said as she approached them.

They both turned to face her and bowed.

"My lord, I am honored by your presence at our base. Welcome to Frostwake," the commander said.

Seyje held back from rolling her eyes. She was not interested in pleasantries right now.

"Is the holocom for this base intact and operating? I have urgent need of it."

"Of course. Right this way, my lord," the commander said, leading her into the adjacent room.

The chamber was small. Ice coated the walls, dropping the temperatures in the room lower than the norm around the base. The holocommunicator was in the center, and the remaining space only fit a few computer consoles.

"It was used just this morning, so everything should be warmed up and ready for your use," the commander informed her.

"Send someone to fetch my crew for me. It is imperative that they are present," Seyje ordered.

"Right away, my lord," he replied.

The Sith approached the nearest computer console. The messaged relayed this morning had been to the Dorn Outpost. Seyje growled with frustration. How in the world was she supposed to reach out into the galaxy? Hoth's communications were scarce at best, and it was difficult enough trying to reach the orbital station overhead the planet. For all she knew, Seyje was going to have to reach Korriban to find her ship, and it was on the other side of the galaxy. Nevertheless, she was never going to find her missing crew and vessel if she didn't try. Punching in the code for the "Fury of Darkness," the computer pulled up a holographic image of her ship to verify, and Seyje pressed the "connect" button on the pop-up screen. Despite the gloves covering her hands and wrists, she could feel the cold on her fingertips from the keyboard. The computer beeped and hummed vigorously, trying to find where it was supposed to make the connection. Seyje's stomach sank. What if this didn't work? How was she supposed to find Quinn and Vette if they had her ship? She glanced over at the holocom, and was relieved to see the red confirmation light was on. Looking back at the computer screen, Seyje was shocked to see her vessel's location read "Imperial Fleet."

"What in the blazes are they doing out there?" the Sith muttered to herself.

She was surprised that they were there, but she was even more surprised that the terrible systems on this frigid planet had managed to reach out halfway across the galaxy to find them.

"Any luck, Master?"

Seyje turned her head to see Jaesa and Pierce standing in the entryway. It had taken them a while to show up, and Pierce had an unreadable expression on his face that Seyje planned to ask about later.

"Yes. I've located the ship, and it's with the Imperial Fleet near Dromund Kaas," the Sith reported.

"Dromund Kaas? How did you manage to reach them that far out there?" Pierce asked,  
sounding slightly amused that something had actually worked on this icy planet.

"Who knows. But why are they with the fleet?" Jaesa said with confusion.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Seyje replied coldly.

Yes, she had said Quinn was in charge of the ship whenever she was away, but this was taking things to a whole new level. He had pretty much stolen her vessel, and she was not pleased. Seyje turned to the holocom and hit the call button. It beeped several times, tapping into her ship's systems, but there was no answer. She tried again, but it remained unanswered. The Sith quickly became annoyed.

"Why the hell aren't they answering?" Seyje snapped, her slithering across the computer keyboard as she checked for any miscalculations.

"Probably napping," Pierce said with a sneer.

Seyje glared at him, and his jest faded. She was well aware of his despise towards Quinn, but she was not going to tolerate his jokes right now.

"They could be off-ship right now, Master," Jaesa suggested.

"Doing what?!" Seyje exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

The Sith groaned in exasperation as her next call failed yet again.

"The one time I'm able to contact him, the idiot doesn't answer," she muttered to himself, putting her hands on the holocom and leaning against it.

Pierce snickered at her comment, and Jaesa smacked his arm. Seyje ignored the squabble that followed. The anger she had felt was turning into something else with each failed call – fear. Something was wrong. Quinn would never leave the ship unattended unless it was an emergency. To leave the orbital station and travel to the fleet without informing her…no, that just wouldn't happen. Anxiety began to build inside her at an alarming rate. Her headache worsened as the thoughts rushed through her mind. Were they dead? No, she would've felt it in the Force. Were they quitting the crew and leaving her behind? Horror struck her momentarily, but she shook the ridiculous thought out of her head. There was an explanation. There had to be. Pierce and Jaesa were still cat-fighting each other. Seyje blew out of the chilled room past them, and they went silent.

"Call me the instant he contacts us," the Sith commanded harshly.

Rushing past everyone in the base, Seyje practically ran outside into the snowy tundra away from the base until she was far enough away to still see it and certain no one was around. Her emotions were raw and raging inside her like a storm. She couldn't be around anyone right now, at least not until she had somewhat calmed down. Her heart was racing inside her chest, pounding in her ears in tune to her headache. Pacing back and forth, the snow became packed under her feet. She was so agitated it was almost unbearable. Why did she care so much? What was it about Quinn being thousands of miles away that made her so tense? Passion and emotion were part of the Sith code, but they weren't meant to be felt like this. Seyje snarled with frustration at herself. Too many feelings were in turmoil inside her, and she was on the verge of a breakdown. Seyje collapsed to her knees in the snow, balling her hands into fists and shaking her head.

_This is wrong, it's all wrong! It's not supposed to happen. I shouldn't care. I'm not supposed to care about others, I'm supposed to be selfish and cruel – that's the Sith way._

Seyje growled with frustration.

_But I do care. I care about Quinn. I care about Vette, and Jaesa, and Pierce. _

Thoughts of her training on Korriban and Dromund Kaas flashed through her mind. She had skipped two years of training due to Overseer Tremel pulling a few strings – the ones where she was taught how to release her emotions the "proper" way – and yet she advanced faster than all the other acolytes, excelling at the tests no one could pass. The training she did receive had required her to embrace the true Sith way, but she had half-heartedly resisted up until Baras made her his apprentice. After that, she had no choice but to become ruthless and cold-blooded to please her master.

_I'm not like that to my crew. I have no reason to be..._

Apprehension, confusion, tension, all threatened to explode out of her in a flaming rage. Up until now, her mission and goals had been clear, but lately thoughts of Quinn were invading her mind. Many times when Jaesa caught her daydreaming she was thinking about him – his smooth voice, his stiff stance that he held so often, his tactical advice that led to many small victories for Seyje.

The Sith shook her head.

_Enough. _

This was too much. Looking across the tundra, Seyje saw a frozen lake far off from the base. A snowy cliff was arched overhead like a cat's claw outstretched. Without even blinking, the Sith reached out her hand and used the Force to grasp the edge of the rock. It was bigger than she was expecting, and required an extra effort to actually get a hold on it. Seyje curled her fingers, breaking into the pieces of the rock and slowly separating the cliff from the mountain. The crackling ice could be heard from where the Sith stood. Two Wampas standing on the edge of the lake ran off grunting and bellowing in fear. Seyje focused even harder on the cliff, twisting her hand and grinding the power of the Force against the rock. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead from the effort. The mountain groaned as the cliff began to fall. With a final crushing motion of her hand, the rock snapped off and smashed through the ice on the lake below. It was a pointless endeavor for the Sith, but it released some of the energy she was withholding, and Seyje sighed as her stress was partially relieved.

Looking up at the sky, the Sith was dismayed to see that the sun had barely moved since she had gone outside into the cold. Seyje returned to the communications center to find things unchanged – Quinn still hadn't called back. The Sith felt a desire for blood, and took it upon herself venture back outside and hunt down Pantran Whitefangs. It was easy to strike down the winter cats without remorse; they populated the planet quicker than any other species and they were by-far the most vicious. Seyje's thirst was soon quenched and she grew bored with her sport hunting. With still no change on the holo back at the base, she could do nothing but wait. It was pure torture for her. Scenarios of all the things that could possibly go wrong played in her mind. Anxiety and fear overtook her mind yet again, and she didn't have the energy to go around tearing more rocks off of cliffs. Sitting in the communications center, the Sith tried to meditate to keep her scrambled mind busy, but her heart was restless and she couldn't focus. Jaesa and Pierce went off on their own and kept coming back to check in. Hours passed, and the two of them finally decided to sit and wait with their lord.

Just when Seyje couldn't take it anymore, the holocom beeped with an incoming call. The Sith jumped to her feet and quickly answered it. A familiar holographic figure appeared – Quinn.

"My lord, is everything alright? The ship's records show that you've called 37 times today," he said calmly.

Seyje's jaw dropped. He stood there with composure and didn't seem the least bit fazed by the number he just read to her.

_Does he not realize the severity of the situation?!_

"Malavai Quinn, you had better start explaining what the hell is going on!" Seyje hissed angrily, slashing the air across her body with her hand.

Jaesa stepped back warily, and Pierce shot her an amused look as he stood his ground. Both remained silent. They knew better than to interrupt one of Seyje's rages, especially since she used the captain's first name.

"I can't contact you for 19 days, and when I finally do, not only do you ignore my calls but I find out you've stolen the ship and flown off to the Imperial Fleet?!"

The Sith's eyes glowed red with anger. Her fingers twitched at her side, and ice on the holocom began to melt away from the heat of her rage. Quinn tried to get a word in, but it was useless.

"My lord, I-"

"Don't even start, Quinn. Do you have any idea how much stress you've caused me? I have been trekking back and forth across this frigid planet for days trying to find a damn holo that works. And do you know where it's gotten me? Three dead Tauntauns and a rabid pack of Pantran Whitefangs."

She was rambling now, and Quinn could do nothing but sit and wait for her to finish.

"But no, as if that wasn't bad enough, my own Captain has run off into space with my ship as if he owns the thing and ignores me the second I try to reach him! Just what in hell are you doing out by Dromund Kaas anyway?!" Seyje screeched.

"My lord, Vette caught cold as soon as we came into orbit – as you know – and her condition worsened to the point where I could not be of assistance anymore, so we jumped into hyperspace to the fleet to find someone who could help," Quinn said hastily before she could interrupt him again.

Seyje's temper dropped only slightly.

"Why go so far away? What could she possibly have that you couldn't cure?" the Sith asked curiously.

The captain was highly skilled in both combat and medicine. This was the first time he had needed help with anything.

"Vette was infected by the Rakghoul plague," Quinn stated forcefully.

Seyje froze. Now she understood why they had left. The ghastly affects that disease had on people was something she had experienced first-hand, and it wasn't a pretty sight. The Sith hadn't thought to purchase any of the vaccine while they were on Taris, and Vette had paid the price.

"Her body must've been harboring it ever since Taris, and the cold climate of Hoth somehow doubled the effects it had on her. It was not the most enjoyable experience for either of us, my lord," Quinn said, recoiling at unshared memories.

"Is she alright?" Seyje asked sincerely, all anger fading in an instant.

"My lord, believe me when I say she is most certainly back to her old self," the captain replied with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

The two of them didn't get along very well, which didn't surprise Seyje. They were like complete opposites; Vette was free-spirited and excitable, Quinn was reserved and professional.

"Good. Can I speak with her?" the Sith inquired.

"She's currently asleep in her quarters, my lord. Would you like me to wake her?"

"No, no, let her rest," Seyje said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

She felt a little calmer now that some of her questions were answered, but the Sith was still frustrated as to why it had taken him so long to call her back.

"Quinn, what exactly were you doing before this? Do you realize how many hours I've been sitting here anxiously waiting for you to contact me?" Seyje demanded, her voice laced with concern.

"My lord, your mild suffering for a few hours hardly compares to my nineteen days," Quinn remarked, completely ignoring the first question.

His sudden rebuke against her authority caught the Sith off-guard. A lump formed in Seyje's throat, cutting off her ability to speak. The way he said that – his tone sounded almost…pained.

_He said "my" nineteen days…_

The Sith thought back to his response at the reactor core. His exact words had been 'My lord, I believe you know how I feel about you.' He could not have been more wrong.

"Jaesa, would you and Pierce give us a moment?" Seyje asked slowly.

"Of course, Master."

As soon as they left the room, Seyje let out a deep sigh, running her fingers through her thick red hair. She put a hand on the cold holocommunicator for support, and looked up at image of Quinn. His expression was ever-so difficult to read.

"My lord…are you sure you're alright?" he asked.

It was a simple question, but the answer felt like needle in a haystack. Nevertheless, that needle had been hiding long enough. Seyje needed answers – badly – but she wasn't sure what the proper approach was to get them. The turbulence of emotions that had run her ragged earlier came swooping again, but the calm presence of her captain was soothing enough for her to remain at ease.

Hang on. _Her_ captain?

The Sith shook her head, trying to erase that thought. She could feel Quinn's eyes staring her down, judging her every move, but it didn't bother her. She kind of liked how he paid such close attention to details. It only added to his long list of valuable assets. A twinge of anxiety nipped at her again, and she brushed it off with a sigh.

"Quinn, can I ask you something?" she said, glancing up at his holographic figure.

The captain seemed slightly perplexed at her change in mood.

"Of course, my lord," he replied, straightening his spine for an even stiffer posture.

"Do you have _any_ idea how difficult it is to scare a Sith?" she asked, taking a step back to get a better reading of Quinn's reaction.

Quinn's pixelated eyes studied her carefully. He wasn't sure what the answer was supposed to entitle, and it made him wonder.

"I would imagine it to be nearly impossible, my lord," he said, slightly tilting his head with curiosity.

Seyje chuckled weakly, her eyes staring off into space behind the holocom image.

"Well then congratulations, captain, because you've succeeded in doing just that," she said sarcastically.

The pain on her face was clear as day to Quinn, and he felt a pang of regret. Life was hard enough for her without him causing all this unnecessary stress.

"Apologies, my lord," Quinn said with a bow. "It was never my intention to do so."

Seyje looked up into his eyes, and saw the same emotionless expression he always wore. A spark of anger lit in her gut. The corners of her eyes stung with tears. Could he not see how anguished she was? Did he lack the ability to understand it?

"What is it about letting your feelings show that's so difficult for you?" she snapped, lashing out with frustration.

Quinn was caught off-guard.

"I beg your pardon, my lord, but as a military man that would be highly unacceptable," he said, trying to find a viable excuse to avoid this situation.

His words only fed the Sith's anger.

"Damn it, Quinn! How can you be so blind?" she snarled crossly.

The captain jumped at her outburst. His composure was being tossed around like a rag-doll, and the way she was looking at him with such fire in her eyes only kept him off-balance. Her gaze bore into his very soul, and his discomfort was growing with each passing second.

Quinn wasn't going to admit it, but he had listened very carefully of every single thing she had said thus far and taken note of the meaning behind her words. He knew exactly what was going through his lord's mind right now, and he couldn't allow himself to confess to having felt the same way. Emotion was something he tried very hard to stay away from, but ever since he had joined Seyje's crew on Balmorra, it had become increasingly difficult for him to do so. He was drawn to the Sith like a magnet. Watching her in battle fascinated him as she danced around her enemies with the grace and prowess of a Manka cat, striking them down as if they were little more than bugs.

Staring at her holographic image now, Quinn did not see the same confidence she usual held herself with. Instead, she looked tormented and vulnerable – and perhaps a bit cold from the frigid communications room. With a sigh, the captain decided that if she was going to let her guard down like this, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad for him to try too. Before he had a chance to say anything, Seyje turned her back to him.

"Do you even understand how worried I was?" she hissed bitterly.

Quinn paused, waiting to see if she had anything more to say, which she did.

"When I couldn't sense the ship at the orbital station, I feared the worst," Seyje whispered, turning back around to meet Quinn's gaze.

For once, she could see something in his eyes – remorse. It wasn't much, but at least there was something there to help her break down his façade.

"You were lost to me, Quinn. Last night felt like the longest of my life, and if you ever put me through that again, I will not hesitate to punish you," she threatened, her nostrils flaring.

"My lord, if it's any consolation to you, fear is something we shared for this part of your mission," Quinn said sincerely.

He was going lower his barricades just this once. The relief that washed over Seyje's expression was settling for Quinn, and he found himself at ease. Perhaps he should do this around her more often. After all, it was very satisfying for him to please her. A half-smile appeared on the Sith's lips.

"I like you better like this Quinn. You're more relaxed without all that military nonsense in your head," she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Quinn was slightly offended, but the grin on her face told him she was only joking, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"My lord, may I remind you that the nonsense you are referring to has helped your mission countless times?" he said, raising at eyebrow at her.

"And I will be forever grateful for that, Quinn," Seyje said playfully, mock bowing to the captain.

He blushed, and his mind starting pulling back towards protocol. A high-ranking Sith like her should not be bowing to anyone, especially not a simple captain like himself.

"My lord, please don't do that. It's highly inappropriate," Quinn said uncomfortably, looking away from her.

"Is that so?" Seyje crooned.

Quinn's gaze was drawn back to the Sith. A fiery spark was lit in her eyes, and it made the captain's nerves spike. He shifted uncomfortably, fidgeting with his hands behind his back. Perhaps letting his guard down was not such a good idea.

"I could do things much more inappropriate than that if you'd like, captain," Seyje purred seductively, parting her lips and displaying herself in the most desirable way possible.

Quinn's jaw dropped.

"M-m-my lord!" he stuttered in shock. "T-that is not – you – I –"

"Don't tell me you don't find me attractive, Quinn," Seyje said playfully, cutting him off.

She was teasing him, obviously, but Quinn could not seem to control himself. He was simply not used to her type of aggressive flirting. His heart was racing, pounding in his head. Beads of nervous sweat were forming on his forehead. He tried to bury the arousal he felt, but the way she stood there looking so beautiful and yet so dangerous only fueled his emotions.

Mentally, Quinn took a step back to consider his lord's comment. Was she testing him by saying that? His gaze traveled back to her, and she waved her hand as if to say "Get on with it already."

Quinn folded his arms across his chest, an unusually relaxed position for him, and for the first time he actually studied the Sith lord. His eyes trailed up and down Seyje's body, and she did not reprimand him for staring. The wolfish grin on her face said she was actually enjoying it, but Quinn pushed that thought out of his mind for now. She was wearing traditional garments, which the captain considered to be more like armor than clothing. A red and white vest covered her chest, and the attached straps going across the tops of her shoulders led to a thick black choker around her neck. Her skirt reached the floor and was the color of blood; some of the stitching on it almost resembled blood dripping down a wall. Her stomach was left exposed, proving just how deadly she was to not have even a scratch. On her head, the Sith wore an Marauder's band that wrapped around her forehead and back of her skull. Seyje had pale white skin like ivory, and the only visible scar was a vertical-slanting line down her right eye – Quinn still didn't know how she earned such a mark. Short, dark red hair reached the tops of her shoulders with a part down the right side, causing the hair on the left to occasionally fall in front of her stunning sapphire blue eyes. She reminded the captain of a wolf – slender muscular build, dark powerful aura, and fierce loyalty.

At the moment, Quinn wanted nothing more than to hold Seyje in his arms and kiss her – but it would be a long time before he would see her in person again. The sound of Seyje clearing her throat drew Quinn's attention back to her face. A wry smile was on her lips, and she chuckled softly.

"Have you made your decision yet, Quinn?" she teased, raising an amused eyebrow at him.

"My lord, you are indeed a breath-taking sight to behold," Quinn said, still taking in every part of her beauty.

A small smile crossed his face as Seyje's cheeks turned a shade of light pink.

"Captain, I'm flattered," she said shyly.

The sound of someone knocking suddenly grabbed the Sith's attention. She turned her head to see Jaesa peeking in through the doorway. Her apprentice's eyes flickered back and forth between Seyje and Quinn; she seemed uncertain if she should speak or not.

"Something wrong, Jaesa?" Seyje asked.

"No, my lord," her apprentice replied as she walked into the room. "I only wanted to inform you that we've tracked down Xerender and Master Wyellett."

Seyje drew in a sharp breath. The coming battle was going to be a fierce one.

"I see. I will meet you and Pierce outside the base," she said with a dismissive nod.

Jaesa made a quick bow and hurried out the room. Seyje turned back to Quinn and smiled sadly.

"It seems our time had ended," he noted.

There was a slight trace of sadness in his tone, one that sent a giddy tingle of excitement shooting up Seyje's spine.

_He misses me._

"It seems so. Time flies when you're having fun," she teased, winking at Quinn.

The Sith reached forward on the console to end the call.

"So it does," he murmured with amusement.

The holocom went silent.

_So it does…_


End file.
